I have an acer in a pot. Acers have lot of foilage so they use plenty of water. If an acer is in a pot, then it will need watering regularly. Because tap water is alkaline, I've always believed that tap water should not be used. I have a rain water tub, and keep that precisely for plants that don't like tap water. Maybe I'm going to a lot of trouble unnecessarily.

I'm a big fan of hawthorn. It's unusual to find a hawthorn bush that does not have a bird's nest in it. The plant will be covered with blossom very soon, and covered with fruits by Autumn. You can also stack a few logs round the base to make the complete home.

Pyracantha is quite similar, and just as good.

In response to Jarrah's question - cutting grass to encourage flowers and insects can become a complicated subject. Basically, if the meadow has Spring-flowering flowers, then it should be cut after they have flowered and set seed. If it has Summer-flowering flowers, then it should be cut in Autumn. .

Whenever the meadow is cut, it's essential to remove the cuttings. If the cuttings are allowed to rot down then they will fertilise the soil, and make it more diffcult for wildflowers to survive.